How do you hold your cup of tea? Do you lift your saucer and insert your pinky through the handle of the tea cup?

Little did I know before I had high tea at the Ritz Carlton in Phoenix on Saturday afternoon that I would learn the true way to hold my cup and experience an Afternoon Tea right out of England.  Yes, I do go to the UK every year and I do get served a lot of tea when I’m there, but I haven’t mastered the art of high tea.  I was in for a big surprise at High Tea at the Ritz.

The Ritz is as elegant as it gets and you can’t beat the classic, intimate dining room where High Tea is set.  The room certainly set the tone for our experience.  Our table was set for a Queen, with beautiful china that looks like it stepped out of a castle in the UK.

We were  greeted by our host for the afternoon, Jeffrey Hattrick, the hotel’s designated “Tea Guy”.  Dressed in a white tuxedo and bow tie, Jeffery took us step by step through the process of drinking tea. He clearly loves his profession and answered all of our questions with enthusiasm. In the tea menu (which he created on special tea-infused paper stock), it reads a quote by Jeffrey: “Tea is a vessel by which we can navigate our mood.  It can enhance the space we are in or guide us to a place we would rather be.”  He’s a real tea connoisseur and it was awesome to be in his presence for several hours.  We also love tea in my house but I think I now have a new found appreciation. For Jeffrey, tea is art.  He even told us the history of Afternoon Tea which dates back to 1783 during the time of Queen Victoria.

Let me explain how the afternoon went.  When we sat down, we were told we could choose any tea we wanted from the menu.  The menu has 24 different tea selections, including rare white and oolong teas. There are black teas – rich and full bodied; green teas – lighter and cleansing; white teas – subtle and refined; oolong teas – mild and semi-oxidized and caffeine-free botanical blends. We all chose Winter Blend-Yuletide, a Chinese black tea with cinnamon, vanilla and whole cranberries. When he brought it over, we immediately smelled the  delicious flavor that is neither sweet nor spicy.  Jeffrey kept our cups full the entire time, and did I mention the bubbly?  We had champagne refills during the entire two hours or our tea and all I can say is that tea and champagne does make a beautiful combination!

Then Jeffery brought out a platter of savories including (don’t read this if you’re hungry): Sharp cheddar mousse tart infused with a peach blossom tea, topped with a sweet peach chutney and candied pecan; Inverted cucumber sandwich with jasmine green tea cream cheese topped with a roasted pistachio; Poached shrimp canape’ on a lemongrass black tea cornbread muffin with aioli cream and dill; Tangerine ginger chicken salad with onions and celery topped with orange zest on marble rye; and hand-made puff pastry with a Plum Berry White Tea glee, aguave nectar goat cheese mousse and finished with a sliced blueberry.

And yes, it was all delicious.  Then we had scones with devonshire cream, lemon curd and fruit preserves and then the last course was sweets, everything from chocolate chai flour less chocolate torte and summer provence pistachio opera cake.  Jeffery infuses tea into many of these items and the tastes are really unique.

All this, along with bubbles and tea.  If all this wasn’t fantastic enough, then Jeffery serenaded us!  Accompanied by his pianist, he sang “The Way You Look Tonight”. It was like being in a lounge with Frank Sinatra or Sammy Davis, Jr. and really made the experience rather anti-climatic.

Afternoon Tea is offered at 12pm or 3pm Wednesday through Saturday in the lobby lounge at The Ritz-Carlton, Phoenix. The cost is $38 per person. Reservations are required and can be made by calling (602) 468-0700. Upcoming December tea events include the following:

Teddy Bear Tea (for children with an adult), Yuletide Tea, Breakfast with Santa (Not Teddy Bear Tea) 

Details for all these events can be found here.

The Ritz-Carlton Phoenix is located at 2401 East Camelback Road, Tel: 602-684-0700; www.ritzcarlton.com/phoenix.

 Disclosure: Tea was complimentary and was covered by the Greater Phoenix and Mesa Convention & Visitors Bureau but all opinions expressed are my own.

]]> /ritz-carlton/feed/ 0 /moment-mom-2-0/ /moment-mom-2-0/#comments Sun, 06 May 2012 05:55:42 +0000 CultureMom /?p=3641 I just got back from Mom 2.0.  I spent the last few days with women from all over the country, gathered to celebrate working moms and the power of the written word and social media.  For two days we listened to speakers talk about how we can make a difference using our influence, using our voice, using our intentions.  My heart is full, my mind spinning.  I met and heard from some of my own personal blogging heroes and got to spend quality time with some many of my virtual turned IRL friends.  I can’t say enough about these virtues and significance of these friendships in real life.  Social media has brought so much joy into my life, but nothing can discredit these unique and very real relationships.

Since I started blogging 2-1/2 years ago, my life has literally turned upside down – and I mean that in the best way possible.  I’m working on interesting projects and have amazing opportunities presented to me on a daily basis, much as a result of this small blog you are reading.  It has led to new avenues in my career and the opportunity to write about topics close to my heart here and on other sites.  Quite often, I am doing a million things at once and have tight deadlines, so to be honest, I looked at this trip as a chance to educate myself from amazing women, but also as a retreat.  Believe it or not, even though it was a social media conference, I did not spend the whole time tweeting and posting.  I let myself truly be in the moment.

Part of the pleasure of this conference was also staying at the Ritz Carlton Key Biscayne. Located on a seven-mile barrier island south of South Beach, it’s stunning.  It’s serene and to sum it up, pure bliss.  From the moment we set foot in the hotel, I told myself I wouldn’t have to leave all weekend.  With the view of the sea every which I turned, I was set.  The setting absolutely complimented the goal of the conference: to inspire and instill us with passion.  One morning, I participated in a yoga class overlooking the ocean.  It was really a few days of allowing me to stop and put everything in perspective.

The conference attracts a lot of savvy social media moms, many of whom are pioneers in this space.  Now that I’ve been doing this for a while, and my work has taken a new direction as a result of this blog, I felt very comfortable.  At prior conferences, I felt more like an invader, but not so much this time.  I was in a room full of other women who are working in this space, so many of whom I wanted to learn from but felt more on a par than ever before.  That’s a good place for me to be in.  In several discussions, I heard that success is not all about numbers and statistics; it’s important to keep true to yourself in this space.  My goals of this blog are probably very different to other bloggers, so I am no longer intimidated by these conversations.  I care about stats, of course, but they are certainly not my main goal.  Like with any path, it’s important to know who you are and I am not trying to be like anyone else in the room.  I want to be myself.

Over the course of the weekend, I heard a few buzz words and I am going to carry them with me as I set my own goals:

AUTHENTIC, ENGAGE, NICHE, PASSION, INTENTION, COMMITMENT, CONNECTION

The conference was very supportive of all our endeavors, without addressing them directly.  I’ve heard from Brené Brown, the key note speaker in the past, and as always, she has always made me think about my goals and I was anxious to hear from her again.   She talked from her heart about the darker things in life that hold us back.  Her focus is shame (that’s what she studies for a living and is the topic of her next book) but she always brings it back to courage and determination. She told us that it’s okay to fail and that we should own the stories since we cannot write the end of a story that we do not own.  Owning our story and sharing our words, embracing what makes us vulnerable and facing our fears, that’s what is important. It’s important not to hold ourselves back because we fear failure.

Wow.  Yes, it gave me a lot to think about.  While I do not often share my personal stories here on this blog, I do get pleasure out of writing from within, but I am always afraid of over-sharing.  About that, she said:

“The most connected posts are the ones that make you nervous to hit publish and sometimes you just need to put it out there. You don’t need to over share and you should only share your most intimate stories with your friends who have earned them.”

She also said that we need to find the courage to tell our stories with all of our hearts.  We have to make a connection … and have at least one friend who will help  move a body.

When I heard that, I immediately texted my best friend back home who is not in the social media world to tell her I would move a body for her.  I don’t think she understood, she didn’t text back (I’ll explain it to her tomorrow!).  But the truth is that there are many women in this space for whom I would also move a body.  The connections I have made via social media are truly special and sacred to me and I do not take them for granted. When I looked around the room, I was constantly reminded of the immense amount of pleasure I get from this space.  The women I have met are EXTRAORDINARY, and I think that my next post will highlight these amazing women.

I haven’t mentioned the White Party or the hour we tried to beat the world record for creating the most widespread social network message.  Imagine a very large group of women standing around the pool tweeting this:

You inspire me. #DoveInspired

It was surreal.  There was actually a representative from Guiness Book of World Records in attendance!  It was truly magical and really showed the power of social media.  The goal for their sponsor, Dove, to donate $15,000 to Girls Inc., an organization inspiring girls to be strong, smart and bold.  We didn’t win, but we came close. Many of you probably received that tweet from me, now you now why.

And that’s the power of social media and the power of this conference.  For two days, I stood  in a room full of women who will move bodies, who make things happen.

That’s what I want to take with me and feel for a days, weeks, months to come.  To stay in the moment and remember that I am good enough. I can move mountains when I set my mind to it, with the right inspiration and support.  We all can. I came home with new ideas, new hopes, new ambitions.  For that, I am grateful.

*My work at Ruckus Media Group has continued to thrive and I have been able to oversee their campaign as a partner of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.  For the last six weeks, we have donated a portion of sales to children who need it most and I am very proud of our work.

*I launched a company called MamaDrama with Erin Leigh Peck.  We are bridging the world of theater and social media and have already managed significant social media campaigns for Godspell, Queen of the Mist and Motherhood Out Loud. As 2012 kicks off, we have two new clients and we are so excited about our future.

*I had my first credit in an actual book as “Editor” in Come Closer: How Tourism is Shaping the Future of Nations.  It is Anita Mendiratta’s debut book, and I loved working with her.

*I became a contributor over at CBS Local New York and have written a bunch of articles about the city I know most, NYC.  You can check my list out here.

*I worked on several significant Social Good campaigns that hold a special place in my heart.  Early in the year, I raised $850 for the Haitian Amputee Mother’s Alliance.  Just this past month, Passports with Purpose raised more than 90K to build libraries in Namibia and my prize that was donated by Wyndham Bonnet Creek was a contributor to that amount.  I was part of ABC’s Million Moms Challenge to raise awareness and funds to help women and children everywhere survive and thrive and got to share my own experiences over on the site.  I also joined the committee of my local chapter of  Room to Read (the same organization that Passports with Purpose helped) and worked on a local fundraiser which raised $25,000 for Room to Read.  I joined the One Organization as a One Mom and now get to blog about issues of utmost importance to me and the world – last month, I brought their campaign closer to home and taught my own kids about local hunger.  And lastly, I made my TV debut onGood Morning America and Nightline talking about the issue of local hunger, thanks to my good friend Scary Mommy who led a campaign which fed 4,000 families.

* I had the chance to meet and interview some of my favorite celebrities including Marlo Thomas, Emily Watson, Julianne Moore, Hugh Jackman, Andie MacDowell and Selena Gomez (and my daughter got to do the interview with me, a thrill for both of us).

* I joined an amazing crew of women to produce a show called Listen to Your Mother and garnered myself my first Associate Producer title.  We are bringing the show to NYC this spring and I am so privileged to be a part of it under Ann Imig, its marvelous creator.

*I brought a Holocaust survivor to our synagogue and the response was overwhelming.  It was a night I will never forget, nor will the people who came to hear her.  I also spearheaded my synogogue’s Purim carnival, reluctantly at first, but in the end, quite happily as it achieved great results (as in hundreds of kids had a ball!).  And I led a group of women from my shul to the Jewish Film Festival at the Jacob Burns Film Center.

*Travel:

Looking back to 2011, I can’t believe the places I have gone, considering my kids are ages 7 and 8, and just a few short years ago, I thought my traveling life had ended.  On the contrary!  I had the great pleasure to attend a trip with the gals at the Motherhood to Cape May to stay at the fabulous Congress Hall.  That was a weekend I will never forget.  My weekend in Beaver Creek was certainly a memorable one, as was my press trip to Montreal where I galavanted all over the city covering family-friendly attractions and restaurants.  Our family vacation to my home town, Atlanta, became a different kind of experience when we stayed at the Ritz Carlton and Four Seasons there for the first time as a family.  Our summer vacation in London, Provence and Paris fulfilled that part of me that craves international travel.  I wrote about why I travel with kids and how I embrace the challenges that go along with it.  After attending a press trip to Orlando and doing Disney on my own in January, I took my kids back in May and discovered a new way to stay comfortably near the park grounds at the Wyndham Bonnet Creek.  I attended conferences like Blissdom in Nashville, Bloggy Boot Camp in Boston and BlogHer in San Diego.  We also went as a family to Mystic, Connecticut, where we bonded over pizza and whales and to Philadelphia where we explored the amazing Ben Franklin Institute.

Question for you: What’s your greatest achievement of 2011 and what are you looking forward to in 2012?

Here’s to another great year.  I can’t wait to see what happens next.

Best Movies:

I loved that my son enjoyed the dazzling film directed by Martin Scorcese, Hugo, just as much as I did. A long time fan of Woody Allen, I adored Midnight in Paris and found it just as compelling and genuine as some of his early films.  I saw it in a Brooklyn film house with other longtime Woody Allen fans and it was one of my most memorable cinematic experiences of the year.  I laughed out loud with all the ladies of the hit movie Bridesmaids and am thrilled that women took over the screen once again. Another great film for and about women was The Help, a well-written version of a book that rocked the hearts of millions of readers.  It was brought to life through the eyes of great actresses.  Viola Davis must surely be up for the Academy Award when time rolls around.

Best Plays:

I managed to catch Brief Encounter just before it left NYC, and I am so grateful that I did.  It reminded me of how much I love New York City, theater and film.  It was a great way to kick off 2011.  Another Noel Coward play happened to come to town this year featuring one of my favorite actors, Alan Rickman: Seminar.  The combination of Rickman and Theresa Rebeck was electrifying and it was one of my favorite nights on Broadway this year.  Another drama that I enjoyed was Other Desert Cities, a play I caught early in its off-Broadway run at Lincoln Center starring Stockard Channing and Linda Lavin.  Written by Jon Robin Baitz, who I am so glad has returned to the stage, it had such fresh dialogue and humor, and as the secrets unraveled throughout the show, I was almost falling off my seat.  And The Normal Heart on Broadway was one of the most richest, fulfilling stories I have seen on stage in a long time, as well as powerful performances such as Ellen Barkin, who won a Tony for her performance.  Other musicals that I enjoyed this year included Queen of the Mist by the Transport Group, The People in the Picture at the Roundabout Theater, and I finally got around to seeing the camp musical, Mamma Mia.

Best Books:

On the non-fiction front, I just finished Then Again by Diane Keaton and it’s fresh in my mind, but the book had me laughing and relating all the way through to the end.  I also appreciated The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin and have since tried to incorporate several of the lessons I learned in the book to be happier.  In her book, I learned that we can all be happy by making small changes in our life.  We are all unique and can do whatever works for us. And I’m certainly planning to start going to bed earlier in 2012!  Like everyone else on this planet, I also laughed and cried along with Tina Fey reading Bossypants. Her strokes of brilliance resonated with me and shall remain etched in my mind.  On the fiction side, Those Who Saved Us by Jenna Blum and A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan and A Mountain of Crumbs by Elena Gorokhova stand out in my memory.

My Favorite TV Shows:

While I am anxiously awaiting the return of Mad Men, I have been enjoying Parenthood on NBC.  Lauren Graham and Peter Krause together in one hour of programming delights me to no end, and I love the way the show carefully explores issues that I care about as a parent: special needs, aging parents, infertility issues, marital relationships and more.  I also spent the year enjoying True Blood and Curb Your Enthusiasm on HBO, Glee on Fox and Modern Family.  I nearly broke down when Oprah went off the air, and I’ve been trying to get into her programming on OWN, but it hasn’t worked for me yet.

What were your favorite films, TV shows, plays or books of 2012?

Credit: Yelp.com

Our recent visit to the Ritz-Carlton, Buckhead, one of the premier luxury hotels in Atlanta was truly magnificent. Honestly, there is no other way to describe it. It was such a good family travel experience for all of us.  From the moment we arrived, we were treated like royalty by the staff and that treatment continued throughout our entire stay.

I had stayed at the Ritz in other cities, primarily for work, and had good experiences, but this was my first time with my children. We needed a diversion, and we needed to relax.  Our visit at the Ritz was exactly what the doctor ordered.

The hotel really knows how to cater to families.  First of all, they call kids V.I.K.’s. (Very Important Kids).  Gotta love that.  They think that families don’t have to give up the pampered treatment they can offer when they decide to not drive far for a vacation. They are offering their Family Getaway package through March 31st, 2012 for as low as $279/night.

This package includes overnight deluxe accommodations, American breakfast for two adults and two children in The Café or delivered by in-room dining, guestroom movie with popcorn in addition to dive-in movie at hotel’s pool, children’s self-guided scavenger hunt at hotel, ice cream for children at hotel restaurants, and overnight valet parking (a $32 value).  If you want to splurge a bit more, get a suite for $499/night.  These packages are valid only on Friday and Saturday evenings and of course are subject to availability.   As soon as we arrived at the hotel, the staff offered my children a wrist band so they could get free ice-cream, a small stuffed animal and a scavenger hunt form.  I knew that we would drop our belongings and quickly go on the hunt.

As soon as you walk into the hotel and get a glimpse of the incredible lobby, you know you are in for a unique experience.  The entire hotel is decorated with classic paintings, antique furniture, marble floors and fresh flowers.

Credit: Yelp.com

We were given the suite and it was stunning.  We had a separate bedroom from the kids, which is always a treat when you are traveling as a family.   As expected from a Ritz Carlton, the beds are lush and the room is spacious.  The bath is made of marble, the linens are Italian, the beds are made of feather and the pillows are goose-down, there are terry robes hanging on the bathroom door, there are flat screen TVs, internet access, free newspapers in the morning and an evening turn-down.  The room is really, really comfortable and totally luxurious.

As soon as we dropped our bags, we headed on our scavenger hunt. The hunt takes you on a serious tour of the hotel, answering questions, collecting stamps and gifts along the way.  Kids count the elevators in the hotel, the flags in front of the hotel, the rooms in the hotel (we had to ask someone to answer that for us – there are over 500).  Along the way, we stopped for our ice-cream.  We stopped to watch a pianist playing skillfully and spent a few moments talking to him about how he plays from memory. We stopped for a swim in the gorgeous pool and hot tub and stayed there for hours.  At the end of the hunt, we ended up at the doorman, where we had to find out how many bell carts are in the hotel and we received our last stamp.  I can’t rave enough about the hunt.  It occupied my children for a few hours and they derived so much pleasure from the experience.

The next morning we were all exhausted from a late night so we opted to order breakfast in the room, since we had the option and  I knew it would be a big treat for the kids.  When we called down we were given a zillion options –  grits or potatoes?  pork or chicken sausage?  coffee or tea?  We really didn’t expect the amount of food that came in and everything was delicious.  And the children loved lying in bed, watching TV and eating all their favorite breakfast item…even pancakes.

This package is really ideal for a family like ours.  The price is certainly right and you can take advantage of it this holiday season.  If you’re going during the holidays, you can make an “appointment” for your kids to meet Santa.He comes to your guest room to surprise your child.  You have to call the hotel to find out when that is taking place.  In addition, they also have their traditional holiday brunches and dinners for both Thanksgiving and Christmas, as well as their annual holiday teas.  All their events are listed here.

To book your visit, call (404) 237-2700r book here.

Disclosure: I received a complimentary visit in order to facilitate this review, but all opinions expressed are my own.

EpicMix allows skiers to track vertical feet and runs skied and recognize special achievements by rewarding guests with collectible digital pins.  The mobile app will also alert guests when their Facebook friends are on the mountain, and can be used to send private messages to meet up.   EpicMix is a fun way for families to work together to achieve their goals of runs skied, trails explored, and pins earned.

What is truly unique is the company’s use of RFID technology on season passes and lift tickets to allow for completely passive “check-ins” so that guests can participate without the use of a phone or GPS device, or in any way changing the way they have always skied around the mountain. There is nothing for them to buy or wear other than their ski pass, which has an embedded RFID chip.

Here’s a short list of a few other properties that offer unique technology components targeted at families:

Vail Resorts’ EpicMix Kids– Bring technology to new heights- the mountains!- with EpicMix Kids. Try out the new mobile and online application from Vail Resorts where families can work together to track their runs, progress, and unlock collectible digital pins for special achievements. EpicMix Kids is one of the first social media platforms designed for children under 13. For privacy reasons, children under 13 are only allowed to be “friends” with their family members. It’s available at all Vail Resorts mountains: Keystone, Breckenridge, Vail, Beaver Creek and Heavenly (in California).

The application is a cross between Nike+ (tracking your physical activity) and FourSquare (recognition of location-based accomplishments), with the ability to connect and share with friends on Facebook (for users over the age of 13) and Twitter.  The application can first be tried when Keystone Mountain opens for the season on November 5, 2010. Stay during one of Keystone’s Kidtopia Festivals and kids can participate in activities including: a glow stick parade down the mountain, disco tubing, glow bug skate night on North America’s largest outdoor rink and an on-mountain barbecue night. “Ski Free Stay Free” package rates starts at just $71 per person per night and includes lodging for four in a two-bedroom condominium and a three-day lift ticket per person. Blackout dates apply. Plus, Keystone introduces the ULTIMATE winter play area with the world’s largest snow fort at the top of Dercum Mountain. The fort will be 60 by 40 feet with 12-foot walls, complete with a drawbridge, lookout tower, and its very own dragon. Kidtopia Festivals will take place: Dec 27 – Jan 2; Jan 14 – 17; Jan 29 – 30; Feb 18 – 21; March 12 – 20. www.KeystoneResort.com / 877-204-7889. For more information, visit www.epicmix.com.

AKA at Atlantis, Paradise Island – Find technology in paradise at this new 8,000-square-foot state-of-the-art kid’s club – Atlantis Kids Adventures (AKA). AKA incorporates cutting-edge technology for both the entertainment and educational value it provides young adventurers. Throughout the club, kids discover interactive, touch-screen walls, tables and floors, providing creative game play and artistic expression. AKA features themed spaces from a performance room with its own sound booth, to a culinary kitchen, to a computer room with 13 iMac stations for gaming and creative projects.

Partial and full-day participation at AKA is available, as well as special evening programs, including Candy Carnival and Buccaneer’s Bash themed nights.  Prices for AKA programming range from $40 to $65 per session. For more information visit www.atlantis.com.

Gamers delight in Florida – The Ritz-Carlton, Naples, Florida is letting guests take today’s hottest games for a test drive. Vue (virtual user experience) is a unique and sleek lounge at the resort where guests can kick back with the latest in technology and entertainment.  Other hotels may offer gaming technology for their guests, but Vue goes above and beyond with a modern space including everything from Mac stations, iPod docks, Guitar Hero, Rock Band, Nintendo Wii, Playstation and more. The lounge even hosts Wii fitness classes and bowling tournaments. And for guests (maybe parents!) who are new to this world, Vue stands out with on-staff gamers that act as your “roadies” as you discover your inner rock star.  Best of all, it’s all complimentary to resort guests. More details can be found at http://www.ritzcarlton.com/Naples.

EpicMix Kids is one of the first social media platforms designed for children under 13. For privacy reasons, children under 13 are only allowed to be “friends” with their family members.